Legislators demand probe into the death of illegal miners at IMK site

The Central Kalimantan provincial parliament demanded the police to serious investigate the death of two illegal miners earlier this month at the site of gold mining company PT Indo Muro Kencana (IMK), the local Banjamarsin Post daily reported Thursday.

?We expect the authority not to remain silent over the death of the two illegal miners so that everything will be clear,? legislator Metropole B. Djanguk, head of the PDIP, the country?s largest political party, faction at the local parliament.

Reports said earlier that the two illegal miners identified as Budi (28 years old), and Supriyadi (17) were found dead at the mining site of IMK. Witnesses said that the two tried to escape a police raid against illegal miners by hiding in a deep hole. There was possibility that the two had suffocated. Witnesses also said that the seemed to be panic at the time after the police opened fire into the air.

Meanwhile, legislator Stephanus Kuntoro Darmo appealed to all parties not to issue statements that would only trigger the masses to become angry over the death of the two young men.(*)